Free tool
IELTS One Skill Retake checker
Missed your target in one skill? Find out if a One Skill Retake fits your situation, or if a full test is the better choice. It uses the rules from IELTS and the test centres, and what each immigration department says. For Canada, it covers Express Entry, Canada’s online system for skilled workers who apply to live in Canada permanently.
IELTS One Skill Retake lets you take one part of IELTS again (Listening, Reading, Writing or Speaking) instead of all four. You get a new Test Report Form, the document that shows your results. Answer four questions to see if it fits you.
Count from your full test day. Enter 0 if it was today.
Answer the four questions to see your result.
The rules: your full test must be IELTS on computer, you must sit the One Skill Retake within 60 days of your original test, and you can retake one skill once per test. Centres that offer it vary, so ask yours.
Rules last checked 7 October 2026
Sources:
- IELTS (ielts.org): IELTS One Skill Retake
- British Council Bangladesh: IELTS One Skill Retake
- IDP IELTS Nepal: IELTS One Skill Retake
- IDP IELTS India: One Skill Retake
- IRCC (Canada’s immigration department): Express Entry language test results
- GOV.UK: Prove your English language abilities with a secure English language test (SELT)
- Australian Department of Home Affairs: English language visa requirements
- Immigration New Zealand: English language requirements for skilled residence visas
- Immigration New Zealand: English language requirements for an Accredited Employer Work Visa
How it works
The checker asks the questions in this order, and the first one that rules a retake out decides:
- Was your full test IELTS on computer? One Skill Retake is not offered after a paper test.
- Can you still sit it within 60 days of your original test?
- Is exactly one skill below your target? One retake changes one skill, once per test.
- Does the place you are sending your result accept it? Australia: visa (Home Affairs) and New Zealand: visa (Immigration New Zealand) list it as accepted. UK visa (UK Visas and Immigration): accepted in selected locations, IELTS says. Canada: Express Entry (IRCC) does not. For others, ask first.
The full rules, the fees in each country and who accepts it: IELTS One Skill Retake guide
What a full test costs in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan: IELTS exam fee guide
What score Canada asks for, and why One Skill Retake does not count for Express Entry: IELTS score for Canada PR
The IELTS score and test type each country asks for: IELTS scores for visas
Frequently asked questions
Can I use One Skill Retake for Express Entry?
No. IRCC, Canada’s immigration department, says it does not accept IELTS One Skill Retake for Express Entry. If one skill is below your target, take the full test again.
How long do I have to take a One Skill Retake?
You must sit the One Skill Retake within 60 days of your original test. Your full test must have been IELTS on computer, at a centre that offers One Skill Retake.
Does a One Skill Retake replace my original score?
No. Your original scores stay the same. You get a new Test Report Form with your retake score and the other three scores from your original test, and you can choose which result to use.
How many times can I retake one skill?
Once for each full test, and it changes one skill. If two or more skills are below your target, a full test is the better choice.
Do universities accept One Skill Retake?
Each university decides — ask yours. IELTS recommends that you check with the organisation directly before you book a retake.